Forever is a Long Time
by mangotango101
Summary: What would happen if Harry didn't leave Ginny's room on his 17th birthday with Ron and Hermione? A heart-to-heart with Harry and Ginny. Read and Review please!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. JK Rowling does. The first part is all her (it's also italicized). **

"_Harry, will you come in here a moment?"_

_It was Ginny. Ron came to an abrupt halt, but Hermione took him by the elbow and tugged him on up the stairs. Feeling nervous, Harry followed Ginny into her room._

_He had never been inside it before. It was small, but bright. There was a large poster of the Wizarding band the Weird Sisters on one wall and a picture of Gwenog Jones, Captain of the all-witch Quidditch team, the Holyhead Harpies, on the other. A desk stood facing the open window, which looked out over the orchard where he and Ginny had once played a two-a-side Quidditch with Ron and Hermione, and which now housed a large, pearly white marquee. The golden flag on top was level with Ginny's window._

_Ginny looked up into Harry's face, took a deep breath and said, "Happy Seventeenth."_

"_Yeah...thanks."_

_She was looking at him steadily; he, however, found it difficult to look back at her; it was like gazing into a bright light._

"_Nice view," he said feebly, pointing toward the window._

_She ignored this. He could not blame her._

"_I couldn't think of what to get you," she said._

"_You didn't have to get me anything."_

_She disregarded this too._

"_I didn't know what would be useful. Nothing too big, because you wouldn't be able to take it with you."_

_He changed a glance at her. She was not tearful; that was one o the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy. He had sometimes thought that having six brothers must have toughened her up._

_She took a step closer to him_

"_So then I though, I'd like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some veela when you're off doing whatever you're doing."_

_I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest."_

"_There's the silver lining I've been looking for," she whispered, and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful obliviation, better than firewhisky; she was the only real think in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand on her back and one in her long, sweet-smelling hair—_

_The door banged open behind them and they jumped apart._

"_Oh," said Ron pointedly. "Sorry."_

"_Ron!" Hermione was just behind him, slightly out of breath. There was a strained silence, then Ginny said in a flat little voice,_

"_Well, happy birthday anyway, harry."_

"Ron, come on. This isn't fair." Hermione said, pulling on his arm.

"Hermione! I walk in on my best mate snogging my sister and you tell me this isn't fair?" Ron sputtered.

"Yes Ron, I do. You are not being fair to Ginny. Remember how much you hated it when people interrupted…" She trailed off turning red.

Harry rolled his eyes at his friends' bickering and in his fury, went to where they were standing, nudged them, and slammed the door.

"Sorry about that, Ginny. Oh damn, you can still hear them, can't you?" Harry said, walking to her. A grin played on her lips.

"Ron's such a git sometimes. It's really annoying. But it's alright, because now we're alone again." She turned and threw her arms around him. He held her close, breathing in her sweet scent.

"Ginny. I'm so sorry I had to end it. I wish I never did." He said into her neck.

"Harry, I understand. Thee wizarding world comes first, but I wish you weren't going. I wish we could stay here forever." She told him, her voice wobbling a little.

"Me too Ginny, me too. But I _do_ have to save the wizarding world from that awful villain, erm, what's his name? Something like Voldemort, right?" Ginny laughed in earnest.

"Yes, Harry, that's the one. Voldemort. I'll miss you."

"Ginny, don't think I won't miss you too. But Ginny, please, don't wait for me. If you find someone, don't feel like you can't because of me, okay?"

"But Harry—"

"No buts Ginny. I don't want you to wait for me, in case I don't come home. I don't want to spoil the life you could have."

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that again." She stepped out of his embrace to look him square in the eye. "You _will_ come home, and I _will_ be here waiting for you. Do you know why?" Ginny asked him fiercely.

"No, I don't."

"It's because…because I…" she faltered.

"Just say it."

She took a deep breath. "Because I love you."

Harry's heart started to pound. Had he heard her correctly? "Did you just say you loved me?" he asked her weakly.

"Yes, I suppose I did."

He moved to her bed and sat down, still shocked. "Wow Gin. I-I-I love you too. And that's why I don't want you to wait for me."

"Well harry, we're on different sides. I love you so I want to wait, and you love me so you don't want me to wait. I think I'm going to do what I want, and I'm going to wait for you. Harry, have I ever told you why I broke up with Dean?"

"Well, I just assumed…" He let the sentence go.

"It was because I realized that I didn't have to wait anymore. I'm sorry Harry, but it was blatantly obvious that you liked me. I saw it in the way that you looked at me; Dean was annoying me anyway. I couldn't do it anymore, now that I knew that you liked me. Hermione had also let slip that you had been interested in our relationship. So anyway, I ended it with him, and it was the happiest moment of my life, when you walked through the portrait hole and came and kissed me. Watch. _Expecto Patromun!_" A brilliant sliver phoenix erupted from the tip of her wand. It was brighter and clearer than he'd ever seen it.

"Wow." He breathed. "I see what you mean. Were you thinking of that kiss?"

"Yes. Now do you understand why I want to wait for you?"

"Yes, my dear, I do. And I accept that. I can't wait to come home to your arms." She gazed off into the distance, interpreting his words completely differently than he was intending.

"What is it love?" he asked her.

"You said when you come home. Did you mean forever?"

"Forever is a long time." And with that, he kissed her and slowly walked out.

**So please review. I'm considering making one more chapter. What do you think? Thanks!! ~mangotango101**


	2. Chapter 2

**I decided to add something else to this story. Well, actually, I re-read it and this chapter just appeared in my head. Note: The tone is much much different than the first chapter, but I think it works nicely. This takes place right after the Final Battle.**

**Disclaimer: Not JKR. Sorry. **

**Enjoy!**

He lay on his four poster bed in his dorm at Hogwarts. After the ordeal he had gone through, he needed a place to seek refuge. This bed held so many memories for him – happy and sad, funny and serious. This bed had been his home for 6 years. He needed that security, even if I was just for another day.

He heard the door open and footsteps making their way towards him, but he didn't move.

He felt someone get into bed with him, but he didn't move.

He saw arms circling his chest, holding him close, but he didn't move.

"Harry, turn and look at me," said a voice he knew from what felt like a long lost dream. He slowly rolled over, and finally looked at who had come in to protect him.

"Harry, look at me," the person said tenderly, in a voice he could remember from many, many years ago.

He raised his eyes and looked into two pools of chocolate. He quickly shut his eyes, whispering to himself, "No, it can't be real, it just can't."

"But it is Harry. It's really me. I'm here. I waited." He didn't open his eyes. "Harry please," she begged. "I'm here for you. You don't have to be strong any more."

After hearing that, the dam broke. Tears soaked his face, and sobs wracked his body. "Why should I live? So many loved ones are gone. Why is life worth it?" he cried, once he gained enough breath.

"Because I'm here, and I love you. Ron, Hermione, Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fr-" she stopped and checked herself. "Georgre, Minerva, Hagrid. Then there is everyone who's gone, but still love you; Lily, James, Remus, Tonks, Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred and Dobby they will always be with you in your heart, and you know it. And as Dumbledore always said, '_You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble?_'. Harry, whether physically or in your heart,they're all here, and they will always be. Always. Forever." She said, stroking his back, burrowing her face into his neck.

"Forever is a long time." He whispered, knowing at last that he was safe, and he had a family that was full of love.

**I know, it was short. Short, but sweet. Hope you liked. Reviews are appreciated. ~mangotango101**

**PS: The italicized quote is from Dumbledore, Prisoner of Azkaban, page 427 in the American version.**


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